‘State’s first Community College takes shape in Vadodara’

IGNOU Pro Vice-Chancellor Latha Pillai was present at the event. She told Shubhlakshmi Shukla that IGNOU is using the concept of ‘Open University’ by bringing more professionals in the field of education and sustaining the indigenousness of new certificate courses,which can be applicable in any particular field.

In its annual report,UGC has stressed on bringing the gross enrolment ratio in India to 15 per cent by 2012. Distance education learning courses occupy almost 40 per cent share of the total higher education scenario. What is IGNOU doing to meet this target?
IGNOU is offering 320 programmes and more than 2.2 million students are enrolled. We are also trying to start online programmes which could be accessible from anywhere. After we have started a hospitality course in collaboration with PUSA Institute of Hotel management,we are opening 10-12 more post-graduate course at our campus which will include Masters of Social Work and Master in Communication.

With Distance learning education taking a front seat there is a need for strengthening Information and Technology so that it reaches rural areas. Where does IGNOU stand?
There is still problem of electricity in the rural/tribal areas. However,every IGNOU centre has broadband connectivity,so that our online courses can be uploaded on the Universal Serial Bus (USB) or Compact Disc. We are working on this so all our courses are available online. There is also an attempt to develop an Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) in distance education. Many open universities do not document data,however,with IQAC,this problem will be solved.

What should open universities do to improve their core content in materials?
Open University should be ‘Open’ in the sense that there should be a blending of traditional curriculum and methods besides continuing with the same pedagogy in the core curriculum.

What should states do to popularise concepts like community colleges? What roles should the states play?
Community college imparts two year Associate degree programmes. If a student wishes to continue in the third year,IGNOU will extend help so that students pursue further studies. Tamil Nadu will soon be making third year compulsory,and Karnataka will follow suit. There are four semesters of some courses offered in Madhya Pradesh. The fourth semester will be handled by IGNOU now. We are doing a hospitality course with the Maharasthra government.

What steps have been taken by Gujarat government to popularise distance learning?
The state education authorities have shown keenness in several meetings conducted with IGNOU in the recent past. Nothing is concrete as of now.